After Thoughts
by futureauthor13
Summary: Who wouldn't be thinking about the night they had? Oneshot taking place after the episode 'Blind Trust'. Spoilers, no slash. Enjoy!


**So yeah, how could I not write something after two great episodes (probably the best ones since the Christmas Special and maybe 'Picking up Margaret')? So, yeah, this was a completely random idea, nowhere near as throughout as my other stories, so it may be a bit rough. Hope you all enjoy.**

It was strange. He always thought that 'your other senses strengthen when you lose one' was just a myth. But at that moment, he could hear the faint beeping of the machinery and the footsteps of doctors and visitors alike, he could smell the 'Get Well Soon!' flowers Pops had placed in his room, and maybe this was just because of the fatigue, but he was pretty sure this was the softest hospital bed in the world.

Although, he still wished he could see. He wanted so badly to open his eyes, but they still stung, even with all the painkillers. Before he fell asleep, the doctor had told him the bandages would be taken off within a couple weeks. He wasn't planning on taking that much time off though, what would the park do without him? No, there were plenty of ways to help out without using his eyes, and Thomas could give him a hand by reading him papers and helping him fill them out. After all, they had to let that intern do something.

A heavy sigh escaped from him. Why didn't he just trust those two in the first place? If he did, they would be back at the park, probably eating breakfast and getting ready for another day of work. 'Because before all this happened, you couldn't trust them as far as you could throw them,' a voice reminded him.

And wasn't that the truth? Every job, no matter how big or small or 'cool', they always managed to screw it up. It made Benson furious, but not just because he had to help fix their mistakes. It was because he could tell how much potential they were wasting. Believe it or not, the infamous bluejay and raccoon had their moments when a great idea struck them, or the times only they could help defeat some monster or some other supernatural thing.

For a while now, Benson would sometimes look at those two. He wouldn't see two slackers, or two employees, or even two people he though of as close friends.

There were times, when he saw them as a younger version of himself.

Before the stick hockey and the band, back when the future was bright and full of possibilities. Even though most of the time being a park manager wasn't too bad, he still had those 'what if?' questions.

Would Mordecai and Rigby be like him, and still be working at the park ten plus years after getting hired? He gave a light chuckle. 'Maybe, if I don't fire them or if they don't get themselves killed first.'

However, there was one thing those two slackers had that was actually a useful and needed quality. They never turned their back on a friend.

For every screw-up, they would try and fix it, or make it up to the person they hurt or disappointed. For as many times as they abandoned a job or tried to weasel out of it, they would face danger head on just because they knew it was the right thing to do. Benson had seen and heard them stand up for every employee at the park. Pops and other people would probably call it 'noble'. Mordecai and Rigby would just say 'No problem', and act like they didn't cheat death for the hundredth time.

'Maybe there's hope for them yet,' Benson though to himself as he stared through the darkness, 'If they put that much heart into their work, who knows where they'll be in ten years.' And for a moment, Benson felt a pinch of sadness.

Because if by some miracle those two did become successful in life and not just two old groundskeepers, Benson would probably miss them.

"Psst!" Benson flinched at the sudden noise. "Psst! Mordecai! Are you awake!" Rigby whispered.

"Well, I am now," he heard Mordecai whisper back, obviously not too happy to be woken up. After several broken bones, who wouldn't want to sleep in? Rigby was lucky the swelling in his mouth went down so fast, the guy couldn't stay silent for more than a minute.

"Is Benson awake?" Upon hearing this, Benson slowed his breathing, letting his head slump a little. When your eyes were covered, it was easy to pretend to be asleep.

"Nah, dude's out cold," Mordecai finally said after a few seconds, "What's on your mind?"

"Well, I'm wondering when breakfast's gonna get here," Rigby replied. Benson mentally rolled his eyes. Of course. "But, I guess I'm also thinking about last night."

"Yeah, that was pretty crazy, dude," Mordecai said with a slight groan, "Remind me to never let Pops take us anywhere for a 'surprise'."

"No problem." There was an awkward silence.

"Anything else you wanna say?"

"...I dunno."

"Dude, just say it."

"Okay, fine!" Rigby snapped, sounding like a three year old, "It's just, do you remember what Benson said to us during that long fall and we thought we were dead?"

"...Yeah, and what we said back. Well, I said it back, but I said 'we'."

"Actually, I said it too, but my mouth was still all swollen." Benson then heard Rigby spit something out, still trying to get the taste out.

"Oh. Well, did you mean it?"

"Did you?"

"I asked you first." Benson held back a groan. 'Just get on with the conversation!' he thought.

"Well, as weird as it sounds," Rigby started to say, "I think I did."

"Yeah, same here," Mordecai agreed, "So weird." Benson nearly nodded. It was strange to think he said the words 'I love you guys' to two people he was almost always yelling at. But, at the same time, he had meant what he said just as they had. He could say 'it was the heat of the moment' or 'I thought we were going to die' all he wanted, there were some things you just couldn't take back. Good thing Benson didn't need nor want to.

The duo were silent for a few seconds. "Hey, do you remember when we first met, Benson?"

"Uh huh, he seemed kinda dull, like a teacher," Rigby replied.

Mordecai laughed slightly. "Well, he's definitely not that way now," he commented, "But you know, for all the times Benson can be loud and a jerk, I've still never like, hated him, you know?"

"Me neither," Rigby agreed, "but I still think he's a jerk sometimes."

Benson mentally scowled. 'Yeah, well, you two aren't exactly Employees of the Month'. But, it was like he thought earlier, they did have their moment.

"So are you, but we're still friends," Mordecai added.

"Is it weird that our boss is our friend?"

"Hmm, nah. For a boss, Benson can be a pretty cool guy. I mean, remember when he took out Susan all by himself?"

"And the time he did that awesome drum solo! That was awesome!"

"He saved our butts after that crazy dude at the stick hockey club tried to kill us, and that time on the Cool Death Star."

"He's pretty good at hitting guys with vhs tapes." The two laughed at that one, and Benson had to hold back a smile.

Once their laughs faded, the two were silent again, this time a bit longer. "So, I guess Benson does like us after all," Mordecai stated.

"Nice to know he doesn't hate us," Rigby said, "and hey! He trusts us now too!"

"Yeah, I guess he does," Mordecai replied, in a 'feels good' sort of way. That feeling must have expanded to the other two residents of the room, because he heard a slightly mumbled, content "Yeah," from Rigby, and Benson himself barely noticed the stinging in his eyes.

Soon, the conversation ended and a new one about some new video game began. Eventually, Benson faked waking up, and the three ate breakfast in bed, none of them bringing up the night before. It was almost like there was a certain understanding between boss and employees.

Most of what happened the previous night would stay between them, details not even given out to Skips, Pops or their girlfriends. But, Pops had been right, it had definitely been a growth exercise, but not just in trust.

The relationship between the three was probably the most interesting and sometimes rockiest of all the park relationships. They could all go from practically hating each other, to comrades and co-workers, to almost like a stern father and his two mischievous sons, and go right back to the yelling boss and slacker employee rolls before the day was done.

Yet, throughout all these adventures and battles, a connection had been formed. A bond, a hidden tie that made them care about each other, even during the times where the park was destroyed and chores carelessly forgotten and Benson's screams could be heard across the park.

But that was the thing about love. The word is unique for this very reason, because there are multiple versions of it. It extended past romance and lust and family and friends. More importantly, it could be found and formed in the most unusual ways, yet still be as pure and true as any other version of it.

The three park workers did love and care about each other, and it only took a giant mountain, a little trust, and a quiet hospital room to realize it.

And even if it was never or rarely brought up, they would never forget it.

**So? How was it? Good, bad, average? Please review and let me know, okay? Alright, goodnight everyone!**


End file.
